by Lon Lindsey

Building a business is truly an art, but one that can be learned! As a networking business specialist and creator of my own business, it's my hope and desire to provide information to people about the art of building a business. I love the networking industry because it is our vehicle to escape the J.O.B. trap. For years, I wanted to "fire" my bosses and when I finally gave them their pink slips, I gave myself freedom from the daily rat race. You can too! If you have not yet been able to get your freedom, I hope somehow you will become motivated and encouraged to work toward your own freedom from J.O.B. or whatever bondage you might be under.

THE ART OF BUILDING A BUSINESS . . .THE FIRST STEP!

I want to give you a BIG hint about how to start your journey to freedom. It has to do with taking what you are doing seriously and calling yourself a business from the beginning. I remember when I first started my journey in network marketing, I knew I had to give myself a name .... a company image so to speak. In fact, that is how I involved my wife. Her name is "Jan" so I called my company JAN-L Marketing, Inc. Even though I initially had nothing to show for it other than a name, I knew I had to provide a successful business image. People are attracted to positive and successful people so it became immediately apparent that a positive and successful image had to be projected from day one.

What does that have to do with you? It's simple! How you project yourself to others is what attracts others to you no matter what venture you choose to participate in. Part of "The Art of Building a Business" is to project yourself as a serious and professional business. Remember, you are the head of your own business and your success is going to be partly determined by how you are perceived by others.

A BIG MISTAKE MADE BY 90% OF THE NETWORKERS AND OTHER BUSINESS PEOPLE

A mistake that 90% of the nework marketers and other business people make (only because no one told them) is they promote other businesses rather than themselves. They promote themselves as "independent distributor for xyz company." The problem with that is "xyz" companies come and go.

You should be promoting YOU first, regardless of the company or companies you might be using as a vehicle to promote you.

Just to give you an example of what I am talking about, my business cards read JAN-L Marketing, Inc . . . Business Marketing Specialists with my name and address included on the card with a logo of a globe on the card as well as my email address. You see, that gives an image that I can promote all over the world (thanks to the Internet) and it promotes JAN-L Marketing regardless which program or programs I might be involved in. I saw another business card that read "Eagle's Wings . . ."soaring to new heights of Freedom." with a beautiful gold picture of an eagle on the business card. This person was promoting himself first and doing so via a couple top notch network marketing companies. It must be working because I know he is earning over $25,000 monthly via networking.

SO HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOURSELF?

The best way to begin promoting yourself is with BUSINESS CARDS! Whether you want to believe it or not, people first "size you up" based on (1) whether you have a business card; (2) what the business card projects. For some reason, others take you seriously when you can pull out or send them a business card. The business card is confirmation that you are seriously in business. You might say, "I don't need a business card on the Internet or when I am talking to someone on the phone." Actually you have the capability of a business card on the Internet. It's called your "signature." In fact, you can design your signature to look like a business card. On the phone, your business card is your voice . . . how you project your voice with seriousness and excitement. However it goes beyond that.

Communication and follow-up goes beyond the Internet and phone. Many times people will ask you to send them more information via postal mail and I guarantee you that you wouldn't want to be caught without a business card when you mail out information. Your business card is your signature file off line and your voice offline. It's your confirmation to others that you are taking your business seriously.

PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

Another way to promote yourself is through your letterhead. By having professionally printed letterhead that promotes YOU, you are projecting yourself as a serious and successful business. You should coordinate your business letterhead to your business cards.  We'll even help get you started with FREE Business Cards!  Click Here!

A third way that you project a serious business image is to have your own company #10 envelopes that show your name and logo in the return address section. Also helpful are #9 return envelopes which have your company name and address already on them to make it easy for others to reply back to you.

The above items are all extra expenditures, but are necessary if you are SERIOUSLY in business for YOURSELF. Actually these items are the least expensive way to advertise and well worth the cost. Additionally, you will find your own confidence gets a boost when you have the above mentioned items because, not only will you FEEL like a serious successful business, but you will LOOK like a serious successful business. Consider how you feel when you purhcase a new outfit to wear. It makes you feel good because you know it is projecting a better YOU!

If you have to make an initial choice as to what to start with, BEGIN WITH BUSINESS CARDS! They are easy to hand out and easy to take with you. You will want your business cards to look good!

A full color multi colored business card will separate you from many others. You will want to have a business card that when you hand it out, it looks so good that people won't want to throw it away.

FREE COLOR BUSINESS CARDS

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IN SUMMARY

In summary, I would like to emphasize the importance of your being a serious business and your looking like a serious business. Image is so important and you get only one chance to make a good first impression. Your business card can make that impression for you and with the right card, you can make a very effective first impression.

Also, remember to promote YOU! Yes, you can mention the name of the company you are promoting, but promote YOU as YOUR business with your being an independent representative of xyz company. When designing your new business card, give yourself a name, a logo, an image that you can be proud of regardless of the company you are participating in. Networking is YOUR journey to FREEDOM. Promote YOU and YOU will be on your way!

The Art of Building a Business Begins With YOU!